Because developing better diagnostic tests for AKI could lead to better prevention and treatment, the researchers assessed the potential of 14 urine proteins for indicating the presence of kidney damage.

Using single drops of urine from 113 preterm infants, they found that several of these proteins are good candidates for further research.

Maximum levels in the first four postnatal days of life were 1.7 to 3.7 times higher in those with AKI than those without AKI for the following markers: cystatin c, neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin, osteopontin, clusterin, and alpha glutathione S-transferase.

“Having better diagnostic tests to diagnose kidney injury can have an important impact on how we care for infants, how we prognosticate outcomes, and how we design studies to prevent and/or mitigate AKI in these very vulnerable babies,” said David Askenazi, researcher at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.